I’m looking at buying my first tri bike and I’m considering the S1 and the P1 and a QR Lucero. This will be my primary bike for both training and racing. I was thinking about the S1 and replacing the cockpit with an aero cockpit. That way if I ever wanted to switch to a road bike I’m not starting from scratch. Thoughts?
I rode an S1 with the aero cockpit for a season and it worked great. I was easily able to get steep and low enough.
-Adam
I hear SQW and Javier both ride one in triathlons. 
A lot of AG’ers and pros have rode dual position bikes such as Soloists or Kestrel Talons. Both bikes have won numerous races. A good choice if you want a roadie/tri bike.
The S1 is a bike that does both tri and road (conversion) better than most bikes. My advice is to get two seat posts: one that is for road and one that is “reversible” for tri. Get two saddles; one for road and a tri saddle. Get a set of clip on aeros (like a Profile T2+). Then get fit properly for both road and tri and mark the seat posts for both - in the end you can switch from perfect road to 94% perfect tri in ~2 minutes with just one tool: 5mm hex. It’s a great way to go.
As an example…this is A Cervelo Soloist (what they now call the S1). In road mode it’s ~73 degrees in seat angle and looks like this…
In tri mode it’s ~78 degrees in seat angle and here the Profile T2+ aerobars are mounted under the base bar with arm pads custom jacked up to be immediatly atop the base bar.
Hopes this helps, Ian
Just read this the other day, may be of interest:
http://www.bikesportmichigan.com/reviews/CerveloS1-2009.shtml
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If you are only going to have 1 bike for a while the S1 is an excellent choice.
wouldn’t even bother with an aero cockpit regular drop bars and clip ons.
you will be giving up a little time to the really good tri bikes, but not much to your average tri bike.
I’m looking at buying my first tri bike and I’m considering the S1 and the P1 and a QR Lucero. This will be my primary bike for both training and racing. I was thinking about the S1 and replacing the cockpit with an aero cockpit. That way if I ever wanted to switch to a road bike I’m not starting from scratch. Thoughts?
I agree with Mott. If u pick the S1, leave her alone, and ride the crap out of her. If u can only have one bike, a great road bike gives you many more options for year round cycling with the buddies, hammergroups, casual rides in the hills maybe. P1 or Lucero, great bikes, but pretty much locked into tri-friendly buds who take turns at the front and the 2-5 (?) races over 6 months.
my .02 worth, keep the change
S1 would be fine. I did IMLP on a Soloist with non aero helmet (and poor swim training) and still managed a 10:47. It is a great all around bike, esp for longer distance tris. Leave it as a road bike (just put on clip-ons). Get the full on tri bike later if still in the sport for hammering the shorter stuff or when the extra time will matter during the longer tris. This is, of course, assuming money matters, otherwise get an S3 and P4 if you are so inclined
My advice is to get two seat posts: one that is for road and one that is “reversible” for tri.
Actually, all you need is a second seatpost head…assuming the current seatpost is a reversible one (I’m not sure what currently comes on an S1).
I have a P3 alum and an S1 that I picked up last year to use for the Furnance Creek 508 and other more roadie-type rides/races. Doing the 508 as a two-man team again this year on the S1 and have been riding it exclusively, although this year I set it up with an aero cockpit and have been riding it in a few triathlons. Times seem to be a standard 1+min slower than when racing on the P3 (using same cockpit and wheel setup) but that may be because I haven’t shaved my legs yet(!) Bottom line is that for a little over $1K for the complete bike it’s hard to go wrong…very versitile bike. If you go the S1 route I’d check into going a size smaller than what you’d get for a tri frame like the P1. For example, the size 56 S1 has the same stack height as the size 58 P1.
I think it would depend on what your training is like. One question, do you ride with groups a lot? I ride at least 50% of my training with a road group, not generally fans of tri bikes. The S1 works great for that purpose. I wasn’t sure how long i’d be doing tri’s when I bought my S1 (soloist) so dropping $2k + on a tri specific bike didn’t seem like the most prudent choice. When I can rationalize the expenditure of good tri bike, I will definitely buy one, but the S1 is great for me when only one bike is an option.
I have a P3 alum and an S1 that I picked up last year to use for the Furnance Creek 508 and other more roadie-type rides/races. Doing the 508 as a two-man team again this year on the S1 and have been riding it exclusively, although this year I set it up with an aero cockpit and have been riding it in a few triathlons. Times seem to be a standard 1+min slower than when racing on the P3 (using same cockpit and wheel setup) but that may be because I haven’t shaved my legs yet(!) Bottom line is that for a little over $1K for the complete bike it’s hard to go wrong…very versitile bike. If you go the S1 route I’d check into going a size smaller than what you’d get for a tri frame like the P1. For example, the size 56 S1 has the same stack height as the size 58 P1.
Interesting…if you don’t mind me asking, but is your position on both the same? And, over what distance are you talking about? I just want to see how your estimate “matches” with some others. Thanks.
Position isn’t the same. On P3A, I ride with the saddle nose right on the bb or slightly forward of the bb. On the S1, the saddle nose is a couple cm behind the bb…I have the one-position post with Flight saddle all the way forward. P3A position is basically more steep and stretched out. S1 position is more slack and not as stretched out. That said, I move all over the saddle regardless of it’s position. Saddle to bar drop probably about equal. I feel like I can get more power out of the S1 set up…but results show I’m a bit slower on it all in all. The 1+min difference has been on short course races (sprint/int’l). I did do a HIM on it using a drop bar set up (and 404 rear instead of disc) last season and was about 4+min slower than my usual P3A full aero set up time.
S1 all the way. I do a lot of omniums, and there is no better single bike for a RR/TT/crit than the S1.
I’m not sure I agree… when you move the angle the seat height needs to change - it slight but it needs to change.
Just curious…does Felt have a similar bike?
1 more huge vote yes on S1, drop bars, clip ons, and dual seatposts w/seats. From day to day you can choose road mode or tri mode, and make the switch in 5 minutes tops. Not super light in stock form, but I feel like it puts the power to the pavement better than all the other carbon bikes I tried in a similar price range. Since only 1 bike is in the cards for me until I win one of those snazzy contests going on right now, I feel like I really get the best of both worlds.
Just curious…does Felt have a similar bike?
yes and no
they have a nice aero road bike but its a high end one.
they dont have a s1 competitor really
Felt makes some great road bikes - that’s not really the issue here - what’s being discussed is the ease and accuracy to which a bike can “transform” from road to tri. At the top of Felt’s rather deep line of road bikes is the AR race thang, the AR2 and AR4 - those come with an oem Felt post that can’t be tweak all that much so they are a bit more limited in converting.
Then there are the F series - F1, F2, F3, etc. and that seat tubing is round. The bike’s come spec’d with a set back post so if you were to get a post with a clamp on center or a post with a set-forward clamp you could make some changes that would begin to resemble a steeper seat angle.
Ian